By: Diane Benjamin
H/T a reader
West Washington, across from the Government Center in downtown Bloomington:
Does this sign apply?
Or this sign?
Can you park for 2 hours or not?
The signs are within feet of each other:
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I suggest parking by the green sign, taking a picture of your vehicle and sign, and saving it in case you get a ticket. Neither sign looks temporary for the downtown construction.
The reader just wanted to pay real estate taxes. Parking is available in the parking lot to the east of the Government Center for business there. It’s probably safer for a quick trip.
Maybe when Bloomington explains the signs, they can say why the group turning the old State Farm Building into housing got this check: PDF page 144 https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32583/639148886145330000
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These are the only incentives I was able to find:
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Current TIF balances aren’t available because they are only revealed once a year. As of 4/30/25, the Downtown TIF had no money: https://files.illinoiscomptroller.gov/LocGovTIF/FY2025/06402530/25TIF06402530Downtown_1.pdf
Bloomington had 4 TIF districts at the end of the last fiscal year. Only the Empire Street Corridor TIF had any money. The three downtown area Bloomington TIF’s didn’t.
Geez I wish families and seniors could get these sweetheart deals and tax breaks.
Oh well. I guess only the rich and politically connected are given special benefits that are not available to people that are actually struggling under the oppressive, multilayer tax burdens of living in Mclean county.
@Doge
Kinda goes hand in hand with the luxury apartments, doesn’t it? These people want so badly to feel like they’re important, all at the expense of the plebs.
“the rich get richer and the poorer gets poorer” If only we had Mamdani here, his persistence on CHANGE is what every politician needs. Y’all don’t gotta agree with him, but he did some good things.
He’s already canceled all campaign promises and balanced the budget by suspending pension payments
That’s tragic, you don’t have to come to Bloomington, you live in Ellsworth 🙂
I don’t
You don’t live in Ellsworth? I saw a document for a PAC review that you sent in 2017 that listed you with an Ellsworth address. I have the decency of not sharing that document with your address listed. If you moved, that’s my bad… but a little interesting to report on Bloomington news while you were/are living in another town.
I live in the country, not in Ellsworth.
@ Student
Who gives a rat’s rear end where she lives? Freedom of speech isn’t restricted by region. But sure thing. Let’s let government waste more money putting up confusing signs about rules that they have no intention of enforcing anyway.
Way to prove beyond any doubt that you’re a child.
there’s no reason to get rage baited from a message that’s not directed towards you. People can speak about whatever they want (unless their speech is clear and present danger), I’m pointing out that Diane doesn’t live in Bloomington (to my knowledge) and if she doesn’t like the shitty parking, she don’t gotta park there. “Way to prove beyond any doubt that you’re a child.” Why do I need to prove I am a child to you? That’s a little predatory ngl.
@2027, still riding in the back of the soccer mom mini-van, not a care in the world ‘cept being a snot nosed brat huh?
naw, I’m chilling in my psychology classroom responding to people that are trying to insult a high school student 😂. FYI, I passed this class, the teacher is giving us a chill day. I have many cares in the world, just not much about parking signs 🙏
These signs are confusing because there are so many overlapping rules, but there’s no conflict.
Is this a snow day? (iirc within 24 hrs after a 2 in snow) If yes, no parking.
Is it 3-5am Sun, Tue, Thur? If yes, no parking.
Otherwise, feel free to park here.
But will your car be here between 7am and 6pm Mon-Sat? Make sure you aren’t here more than 2 hours straight in that time period.
So in theory you can park 5am Sun to 9am Mon, 28 hours straight, with no worries.
Except it also says no parking this side of street
‘This Side of Street’ is part of the snow restriction.
I think of it as, its no parking after that sign, and the rules of the green sign takes over for the area the red sign isn’t there. Still very weird.